I. Administrative Report (President Bradley)
a. There are 4 proposals dealing with firms to help with Strategic Planning efforts.

b. Efforts are being made to remodel Sandison Hall by December of next year.

c. The Internal search for the Affirmative Action director is underway. The third interview for this position will be a week from Monday. New Council for Diversity search will meet in a day or so and will be chaired by Mary Howard Hamilton.

d. Received feedback and questions from the State Budget Commission.
The President will sit down with them in mid November.

e. Received report from the Enrollment task force. Looking into new scholarship programs for transfer students plus lap top initiatives to
help with recruitment efforts. The Provost will have a report on retention by next week.

f. January 2, 2009 will be a holiday for all University employees.

g. Mike Alley and his wife Amy plan to make a large donation to the capital campaign. An announcement regarding this should be coming out soon.

II. Chair Report

a. Accreditation Leadership team met Friday and is moving forward on NCA. A
six month extension was granted instead of a year. Faculty should encourage people in their department to fill out NCA online survey. Faculty are also encouraged to provide updated Vita.

b. E. Kinley will be setting up a program whereby faculty will be able to keep an updated copy of their vita online. He is also establishing a procedure for updating information on Digital Measures for NCA reports. Administrative assistance will be provided. (Note that E. Kinley & FAC will be exploring problems with Digital Measures and other options for annual reporting).

III. Approval of the Minutes of September 16, 2008.

a. The Minutes of September 16, 2008 were approved as corrected. (AH/CH)
8-0-1.

IV. Committee Reports & Other Updates

a. Committee reports will be added to next week’s EC agenda.

b. C. Hoffman stated that the Library will run voter registration on Thursday
from 11:00-1:00 p.m. and on Friday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Satellite voting
will be available by the 7th to encourage students in classes to vote. The
President stated that students can also register in residence halls.

c. S. Pontius working with J. Beacon, E. Kinley, and the faculty of Math & Computer Science departments on a computerized process for math placement to replace COMPASS. The departments are also exploring development of an emporium (a 24-hour math-teaching lab).

d. Halpern reported that the FAC observed a demonstration of an application called Survey-Dig that can be used to conduct evaluations of Web courses. Students access a survey, specifically designed for the course, through their ISU Portal. Although this method provides survey integrity (permitting one-student-one-survey results), it does not fully guarantee student anonymity.

e. C. Hoffman stated that the FEBC will meet on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. on
the first and 3rd Wednesday of the month. October 1 will be their first
meeting. D. Worley agreed to liaison for FEBC committee (Charles will
liaison for AEC).

f. Sheets noted he had been queried regarding the “effective dates” for revisions
of college constitutions. He offered that given autonomy provisions and
limited role of EC/Senate (only reviewing documents for incompatibility with
Handbook), revisions should take effect immediately. This is also consistent
with Handbook provision for “transitional” period for new entities and
practice.

V. New Business (J. Gatrell and M. Boyer)

a. Grad Assistantship Policy Revisions. M. Boyer stated that she appreciated the opportunity to visit with us and to update the committee on the guidelines for Grad Assistantships. These changes had been discussed previously, but were
not forwarded. J. Gatrell asked GC to revisit them when he became dean.
Revisions were made and approved by GC 7-0-1. J. Gatrell stated that the
revisions were necessary in order to make the document enforceable,
reasonable and truthful. Approved by acclamation 8-0-1. Sheets stated that
he appreciated M. Boyer’s and J. Gatrell’s efforts in working on them.

a. B. English stated that the task force for faculty evaluation will meet tomorrow for the first time.

b. Another task force will also explore viability of a 4-day summer schedule.
Academic Affairs will liaison with AAC on this.

c. The President stated that Strategic Planning and NCA coming at the same
time presents a time crunch on faculty. He addressed the need to define engagement and experimental learning and not to allow the NCA process
to get too far ahead of schedule.

d. D. Worley stated that the process for approving new hires takes about a month from the initial request to go through the appropriate channels. The process needs to be examined for efficiency and a quicker turnaround. B. English stated that he would review this process and get back to us at a later date.

e. Sheets stated that only $2,500 is budgeted towards searches. A single ad can cost $800 for one month. More money needs to be allocated toward searches. D. Worley also stated that if more funds were available it would help women and minority searches by involving alternative media to get a more diversified pool of applicants. The President stated that some budgeted money not used by other departments could be made available
through the Provost.

f. S. Lamb asked if more information could be made available to faculty
related to exit interviews for younger faculty leaving the University in order to
find out if there is an issue/reason that faculty may need to address. B.
English stated that the reason(s) should be given to the deans.

g. C. Baker, Director for Student Academic Services, will be retiring from the University in December. SASC will be transferred to the Library. This
reorganization concept was reviewed by AAC and approved by the Board.

h. Non- athlete students need to be tracked better. It was noted that if we
provided non-athletes the same support as student athletes, retention would improve.

i. Sheets stated that A&S council has discussed enforcement of the laptop program for students. Some faculty are not allowing laptops in their class
rooms, even though laptops are a requirement for all freshmen and
sophomores. All faculty need to be working together with OIT/ administration to address this. It was noted that there are plans to reduce availability of labs and move dorms to wireless. It was noted that faculty need to be up-front in their syllabi about their individual laptop policies.

j. C. Hoffman asked about process towards new constitution and bylaws for NHHS. T. Sawyer stated that he and B. English just came from CAAC
where a revised structure (recently approved within the college; 41-5) was
reviewed.